On Guard In New Jersey
Story by 1st Lt. Jon Powers, 444th MPAD

Troops
file into their operational area with stoic expressions on their faces.
Their boots echo a cadence throughout airport concourses and security
checkpoints at bridges, tunnels and nuclear reactors. Loaded assault
rifles are slung over their shoulders as they take up positions at each
of the security points.

Some people stop and stare. Some people openly express their approval
and wave, while others simply avoid the military formations. Not so
long ago, this would more likely describe a military coup or an exercise
in martial law in another country. But today it happens frequently in
the United States.

It has been 60 years since the Guard’s mission has been so relevant,
extensive and for many Guardsmen here in N.J., personal. They watched
from office windows in Jersey City and Hoboken. One waited for a phone
call from a brother-in-law who worked for Cantor-Fitzgerald. Another
is a pilot who flew with the crew of the hijacked American Airlines
flight. Now the same people stand guard in the name of Homeland Defense.
The operations here are the most extensive use of National Guard troops
since the Gulf War, totaling, in N.J. alone, 1,600 soldiers, airmen
and sailors.

“I
never expected to be guarding things in my own state,” stated
Spc. Alejandro Corachan of the 112th Field Artillery on duty at the
Lincoln Tunnel. “I feel good doing something for my country.”

“By
the time the second airplane hit we had activated the emergency system,
we started our log and contacted the State Office of Emergency Management
run by the State Police,” said Maj. Robert Schofield, Plans, Operations
and Military Support Officer. “We sent a representative team within
the hour to be the liaison between our office and theirs.” During
emergencies the chain of information goes from the governor to the State
Police Office of Emergency Management. Then the National Guard liaisons
immediately relay the relevant information back to the National Guard
Operation Centers. This process may seem time consuming but in reality
it takes minutes for the concerned parties to get the information they
need.

Three
days after the attack, NJNG soldiers, airmen and Naval Militia mobilized
for every aspect of the rescue and recovery mission. At the Liberty
State Park Command Center in Jersey City, the Guard had set up air,
ground and waterway transportation. Liberty State Park iscontinued from
page 5 directly across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan. This became
a launch point for thousands of support personnel and tons of supplies
going to Ground Zero. They also had medical and security units in place.

"Mobile
command posts were rolling in from all over the state," said Staff
Sgt. Robert Stephenson, New Jersey Counter Drug Task Force based in
Jersey City.

Less than five miles from Ground Zero, National Guard members were called
into service at the Jersey City Armory. Company D, 2-113th Infantry
provided security for the perimeter of the building, a block long edifice
overlooking the Manhattan skyline, while E Company soldiers, 50th Main
Support Battalion set up a makeshift hospital on the drill floor.

The
1-150th Army Aviation Squadron, based at Trenton-Mercer Airport, provided
immediate transportation to and from the site. The 1-150th pilots and
their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters flew more than 100 missions in the
first week. They also provided aerial support and transportation to
the FBI, FEMA and other federal agencies that were assisting with the
emergency.

Within hours of the attack, Naval Militiamen were staffing the Emergency
Operations Center along with the Army Guard. Rear Adm. Timothy R. Beard,
III, Commander, New Jersey Naval Militia, was one of the first officers
in the EOC. 115 of the 140 members in the Militia were activated for
this crisis.

Almost
immediately, the Militia’s 23-foot Fast Pursuit Boats were patrolling
the Hudson. By the next morning these boats were serving as the primary
means of access to lower Manhattan for the first two weeks for police,
fire, and military personnel. The militia also provided a Disaster Medical
Assistance Team to Chelsea Pier and Naval Militia Chaplains worked at
every site, from Ground Zero to Fort Steward, N.Y. They provided counseling
and pastoral services 24/7 for rescue workers and support personnel.
"The intense pressure of this made the unit more cohesive,"
said Rear Adm. Beard. The militia is still involved in security with
the Navy at Earle Weapons Depot as an ocean patrol unit.

Simultaneously, the New Jersey Air National Guard was mobilized. The
177th Fighter Wing had the first F-16 loaded with ordinance and flying
within 90 minutes. Since Sept. 11, 177th Fighters have since been flying
as part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command air sovereignty
mission.

Operation Noble Eagle pilots fly combat-air patrols over the eastern
seaboard around the clock. Geographically speaking, Atlantic City is
situated almost half way between New York and Washington, D.C. This
means that 177th pilots are some of the busiest in the Air Force. "We
are currently the 'hours leader' (flying hours) in the entire Air Force
for a single squadron," stated Lt. Col. Roger Pharo, Support Group
Commander, 177th Fighter Wing.

The 108th Air Refueling Wing stationed at McGuire Air Force Base took
on three separate missions. The unit has provided support both on the
ground and in the air. Additionally, the 108th also supported the rescue
effort at Ground Zero. About a dozen wing members volunteered to operate
several massive "Light-Alls" lighting equipment the wing deployed
to Ground Zero. Light-Alls are normally used to provide mobile lighting
to ground crews during nighttime operations. Once the lighting units
were installed, the airmen assisted the rescue workers as they sifted
through the debris.

The Fresh Kills Landfill, located in Staten Island, N.Y., was the site
for the collection and examination of the wreckage removed from Ground
Zero. 100 Guardsmen from the 57th Troop Command, based in Atlantic City,
provided food and shelter to the FBI and others who continued the crime
scene evidence investigation. More than 250,000 tons were sorted and
examined for human remains during the first few weeks.

Within three days of the attack, soldiers from the Troop Command and
their commander, Col. Carlo Accardi, were pitching tents and setting
up a mobile kitchen to provide hot meals at the very top of the landfill.
The tents would provide shelter and to serve as a mess area

Also,
the soldiers set up “rest and relaxation areas" where the
civilians could gather themselves after picking through the World Trade
Center rubble for hours on end.

The mental toll on the Guardsmen, civilians and federal workers was
unimaginable. "As a minister, I have performed similar (last rights
and blessings) but the enormity of this left me without words,"
said Chaplain (Col.) William Schadebeck. To aid the healing and recovery,
NJNG Chaplains were sent to all the sites. They provided counseling
and religious services to the workers day and night.

"We
performed service for anyone, for five to 300 people at a time,"
Col. Schadebeck said. "We went out to the rubble piles to talk
to the workers and try to keep them sane." Throughout the tragedy,
New Jersey National Guard Chaplains were available to the workers.

Across
the Bayonne Bridge at what was once the site of the Military Ocean Terminal
in Bayonne, members of the 42nd Infantry Division’s 50th Main
Support Battalion (MSB) were busy filling once empty warehouses to the
rafters. The warehouse operation was a joint effort between the Salvation
Army and the National Guard. Through the following weeks it was filled
to overflowing with all kinds of food, water, clothing and household
items which were donated from concerned citizens across the country.
Some donations were anonymous, while others were accompanied with notes
of encouragement and support. A card the size of a mini-van signed by
hundreds of citizens of Cleveland stood at the entrance of the warehouse.

"Look
inside these gloves," said Captain Tracy Norman, 50th MSB, standing
next to a cargo box with thousand of pairs of gloves, “every single
one has a note in it.”

The
donations reflected what the country perceived was needed based on what
they saw on television. When the handlers of the search and rescue dogs
asked for dog food, the nation responded with 50 tons of it. In another
part of the warehouse hundreds of shovels are stacked next to dozens
of wheelbarrows against a wall. Elsewhere, refrigerator sized boxes
of T-shirts compete with thousands of stuffed animals for what little
floor space remains. An estimated million gallons of bottled water was
unloaded, processed, stored and distributed during the operation.

The
50th was there to support the Salvation Army, which was directing the
collection of the donations. The Guard provided logistical expertise,
forklift operators and other personnel to help unload the seemingly
endless number of tractor-trailers which started arriving just one week
after the tragedy. "We were getting 40 tractor-trailers a day,"
said 2nd Lt. Nguyen Tran, 50th MSB. "We were running 24/7."

Airport
security became an area of concern in the aftermath of the attack. New
Jersey’s three commercial airports were identified as requiring
a military presence. Newark International Airport, the origin of the
hijacked plane which crashed in Pennsylvania, the Atlantic City International
Airport and the Trenton-Mercer County Airport. In total, more than 250
soldiers were required.

The
call for volunteers went out to N.J.’s 50th Brigade. More than
500 soldiers immediately responded. During the next three days the volunteers
were put through a screening regimen similar to a war mobilization.
Soldiers with civilian law enforcement training were chosen first. All
the volunteers were given a background investigation and their current
medical status checked. They were also given a drug and HIV test and
had a new DNA sample taken. Soldiers were then brought to the rifle
range to re-qualify with the M- 16A2 Rifle.

The intense screening produced the first 152 soldiers for Operation
Vigilant Hawk. They were briefed by the Judge Advocate General, the
Public Affairs Officer and given a nine-hour block of instruction by
the Federal Aviation Authority. Their mission was to provide a highly
visible armed presence to enhance the current security until the FAA
could put into effect its new security plan at the nations airports.

The retaliation of the United States on Afghanistan brought an increased
threat to New Jersey’s nuclear power facilities. New Jersey was
the first state to assign National Guard troops to nuclear power plants.
At the Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Facility and the Salem County Hope
Creek Power Plant, the New Jersey Army National Guard have integrated
with the existing Plant Security. The Guardsmen are providing armed
support at the entrance gates and tactical operations around the grounds
of the facilities.

"The
security guys are more than helpful," stated Pfc. Michael Mahler,
D Company, 1-114th Infantry, stationed at Oyster Creek. "We are
getting a very positive reaction from the people too, they wave and
honk their horns as they drive by."

"The
public support and the motivation of the troops has made these missions
go smoothly," said Capt. Grant Marks, 5-117th Cavalry Squadron.

Homeland
Defense falls not only on the shoulders of Guardsmen but on their employers
as well. Traditional Guardsmen have full time civilian jobs and the
"no advance notice" call to active duty service has had direct
and dramatic effects on their employers.

The
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee (ESGR) reports unprecedented
cooperation from civilian employers of those called to both state and
federal active duty service. Many corporations, small companies, and
"mom & pop" operations have gone well beyond the Federal
regulations (USC Title 38 & USERRA, or the Uniformed Services Employment
Re-employment Rights Act) to take care of their employees and their
families during active duty service. State active duty and federal mobilizations
are taking some of these soldiers, Marines, sailors, and airmen away
from their civilian jobs for six months or longer. Having a key employee
absent for an extended period of time, no matter how noble or worthy
the cause, still can put a big dent in production and operational efficiency.

ESGR
however, has been active for more than 20 years as an arbitrator between
civilian employers and the National Guard members and reservists they
employ. "Our State ESGR Committee is comprised of state, county,
and municipal levels, civic leaders, members of service organizations,
and concerned citizens from each of the 21 counties. Our members have
credibility within their business communities and understand the full
impact military training have on employers."

Federal
Law protects those mobilized for federal military service. Laws regarding
"state" active duty service are not as clear. "We rely
heavily on the patriotism and sense of community spirit in many cases
of conflict involving Guardsmen activated for state emergencies. Although
periods of state active duty usually last only a few days following
storm, flood, or other natural disasters, the events of Sept. 11 and
the unprecedented call-up of Guardsmen for security missions both here
and elsewhere are expected to last longer."

The
Guard is making today’s headlines that will become tomorrow’s
history. By deploying in their home states with state and federal agencies
to protect various assets from the threat of terrorism they have made
an endnote on the chapter in false security we wrote. A new chapter
however is being written. The level of cooperation between agencies
has eliminated the barriers and enabled the total commitment of personnel
to the defense of our state. The magnitude of the Sept. 11 tragedy forced
all the emergency reaction forces to rely heavily on complete cooperation.

"When
the sun rises behind the skyline, it’s still the most beautiful
city in world," said 2nd Lt. Hashim Bennett while on duty at the
Lincoln Tunnel.